Hercules strolls through a battlefield with dead soldiers on the ground. He comes to a soldier, Gregor, who is badly wounded. Gregor tells Hercules to kill him now. Hercules says that he is not there to harm him. When Hercules introduces himself, Gregor asks him if he will grant him his dying wish. He gives Hercules his medallion to give to his wife and son, Janista and Titus, and ask Hercules to tell his son, "The art of a warrior is not to kill, but to fight against the forces of evil." With this request made, he dies as Hercules promises that he will do as he asks. Elsewhere, Titus and his friend Ximenos are out hunting. In the forest, they try to kill a deer, but are unable to even get anywhere near it. They meet a soldier (Aurelius) who gives them weapons. As they hold them, a wind blows about them and in the temple of Ares, we hear him laughing. Aurelius says that they need to prove themselves deserving of the power of being a warrior and to prove it, they should kill each other. They look at each other, and strike at each other with their new weapons.
As the two boys fight, Aurelius encourages them. As Ximenos strikes, Titus dodges the blow and manages to escape. Later, Hercules arrives at the town where Janista and Titus live. After he tells her about her husband, she thanks him for coming and offers him a place to rest and some food to eat. While resting at their home, Hercules offers to help out, as all the town's men are away at war. Hercules sets off to the local blacksmith, where he meets Atalanta. She ask him who he is and when he tells her that he is Hercules, she challenges him to an arm wrestling match as she says, "You're big and you look fit, but there's only one way to tell for sure." Hercules asks Atalanta if she can tell him where he can find Titus and Ximenos. Elsewhere, Aurelius asks Ximenos if he is ready to join Ares' army. He says that he is, and the soldier brands him with Ares' mark. In the night sky, the moon turns red and a skull appears as Ares laughs. Back at the forge, Atalanta is possessed by Ares, and begins making swords for his army.
Hercules finds Titus, who has been searching for Ximenos. Hercules says he will help Titus look. Later, Hercules takes Titus home and begins work on the roof as he had promised. Ximoenos tries to convince Titus to join Ares' army with him, but Titus is unsure. While Hercules is repairing the roof, Atalanta comes and explains that she had been possessed by something, but had no idea what. Hercules wonders if Hera is involved. He breaks into an old temple of Hera's, and sees that a sacrifice has been made recently and deduces that recent events have been the work of Ares. Ximenos takes Titus to Aurelius and they ask him if he wants to join Ares' army, but he says he has to help Hercules fix the roof and runs off. Aurelius goes to the altar he has set up in honor of Ares and asks him for his presence. He tells Ares about Hercules' involvement.
Hercules walk into the house to find Janista reading the letter that Hercules had given her from her husband. Aurelius deceives Titus, telling him that Hercules killed his father and that he will take advantage of his mother. Titus runs to get Hercules, telling him he knows where the swords Atalanta made went. Hercules wonders how he knew about the swords, then notices the brand of Ares of his arm. Titus then runs off and Hercules follows, running into a trap. Hercules is then ambushed by Ares' child army. Hercules fights them off, but is then trapped when some children push a pile of boulders on top of him.
Janista sees Atalanta and asks her if she has seen Titus or Hercules. She says that she has not. They find Hercules under the rubble and dig him out. He tells the two women that Titus led him into the trap, as he is now under Ares' control. Back at home, Titus takes his father's sword. Janista asks if he will kill her too. He replies, "Warriors of Ares don't kill women." She asks for the sword back and he defies her. She tells him Hercules is still alive and he runs off to go after him. Atalanta and Hercules go after the army of boys. At the altar, Ares tells Aurelius that Hercules is not dead and that Aurelius must use Ares' blood to kill Hercules. As Hercules and Atalanta are walking along looking for the army of children, Atalanta is possessed by Ares again and she and Hercules fight. Hercules is able to defeat Atalanta and Ares vacates her body. Hercules, Janista and Atalanta arrive at the army's camp and Hercules says their time is up.
At this point, Ares causes vines to grow and they wrap themselves around Hercules, Janista and Atalanta. With the three now bound, Titus and Ximenos approach to kill Hercules. Hercules tells Titus and Ximenos to think about their fathers, who fought against the very evil Ares stands for. Hercules manages to break free from the vines and asks the boys which side they are on. They side with Hercules and he fights with Aurelius. Aurelius begs Ares for his help against Hercules. At his request, Ares makes himself present. He and Hercules fight and as he is fighting, Titus gives Hercules his father's sword, which he thrusts into the chest of Ares. Ares falls to the ground and his body explodes while a disembodied voice cries, "Next time, Hercules. Next time." With the God of War now defeated, Hercules tells the boys to return to their villages and that they should fight for peace and not war. Hercules says goodbye to Janista, Titus and Ximenos. Hercules tells Titus that his father had told him about fighting against the forces of evil. He tells Titus, "Then, you'll grow up to be the man your father wanted you to be." Atalanta says goodbye by kissing Hercules, telling him to "come back and see me sometime."
This episode provides examples of:
- Achey Scars: Just before Ares possesses Atalanta, her scar from the accident at the forge caused her pain.
- Antagonist Title: Ares is the Villain of the Week.
- Asshole Victim: Aurelius manipulates children into becoming soldiers for Ares and sics them on anyone trying to break up the operation. He is casually killed by Ares, during the climax.
- Bittersweet Ending: The plan is foiled and the kids are returned to normal, but Hercules knows that Ares will be back to cause trouble somewhere else.
- The Blacksmith: Atalanta
- Bring It: When Ares is done using a middle man.Ares: So there you are, Little Brother.
- Child Soldiers: Of the Just Plain Tragic variety. Aurelius builds his army with children from assorted villages, saying whatever he has to get them to accept a sword and fall under Ares's influence. Hercules finds this practice particularly disgusting.Aurelius: No one's too young if you have the warrior spirit. Let me show you.
- Despair Event Horizon: Janista is initially somewhat detached about Gregor's death, saying she had long since prepared for this, due to him always be off fighting in wars. Then she reads his last letter, and it really dawns on her how he's never coming back. As she says, that last bit of hope she was holding on to deep down was destroyed.
- Disappointing Older Sibling: Hercules has a lot of problems with his Big, Screwed-Up Family, but he tells Atalanta that he's always been ashamed to have Ares in particular for a brother.
- Distracted by the Sexy: How Herc loses to Atalanta in arm-wrestling.
- Due to the Dead: Herc granting Gregor's dying wish.
- Early-Installment Weirdness: Ares' style of manipulating mortals in this episode is quite different from his later appearances.
- The Gods Must Be Lazy: Atalanta questions why Zeus won't step in to deal with Ares. Hercules retorts that safeguarding human life isn't a big concern for the king of the gods.
- Hero with Bad Publicity: Aurelius tells Titus that Hercules murdered Gregor in order to claim Janista for himself. Titus is doubtful, until he sees Hercules comfort Janista in her grief over Gregor.
- Last Request: Gregor asks Hercules to give his belongings to his wife and son, as well as tell the latter what it really means to be a warrior.
- Not What It Looks Like: Played for drama. Hercules comforts Janista when she starts grieving Gregor, but Titus sees this. Thinking this confirms the lie that Aurelius had told him, Titus starts falling under his influence like the other kids have.
- One-Sided Arm-Wrestling: Atalanta was losing steadily after initially catching Herc off-guard with her strength. Then, her boobs helped out...
- Pre-Mortem One-Liner: After Ares emergs from the fire.Aurelius: Stand back, Hercules! I am protected by Ares himself. We have a deal.
Ares: Deal's done! - Red Eyes, Take Warning: How Hercules knows that Atalanta is under Ares's control.
- Sadly Mythtaken. Atalanta's association with Hephaestus and her occupation as a blacksmith do not appear in mythology.
- Shown Their Work: It is accurate for a blacksmith to worship Hephaestus, the blacksmith of the Greek gods.
- Special Guest: Cory Everson as Atalanta, a former bodybuilder). Cory would later return for the role in Season 2 ("Let The Games Begin") and 4 ("If I Had a Hammer").
- Voice of the Legion: Atalanta, while possessed by Ares.
- War Is Hell: Not the main theme, but a recurring element. Hercules finds Gregor slowly dying on a battlefield littered with corpses. Hercules then has to pass the news on to the man's family and deal with the aftermath.
- We Meet Again: Ahead of their big fight.Hercules: I thought maybe I'd seen the last of you, Half-brother. Well, you haven't gotten any better looking, that's for sure.
- We Will Meet Again: In what would become a staple of Ares episodes, he does this when he's defeated."Next time, Hercules! NEXT TIME!"
- Weapon Specialization: Ares!Atalanta primarily uses a whip in her fight with Herc.
- Wouldn't Hurt a Child: Aurelius's army don masks when attacking Hercules, and he does defend himself at first. When he manages to rip one of the masks away, though, he sees they're just kids and immediately holds back.
- You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: Ares kills Aurelius near the end of the episode.
